The Progressive Democrat Newsletter grew out of the frustration of the 2004 election. Originally intended for New York City progressives, its readership is now national. For anyone who wants to be alerted by email whenever this newsletter is updated (usually weekly), please send your email address and let me know what state you live in (so I can keep track of my readership).

Thursday, February 03, 2011

New Jersey Focus: Green Power Switch

Now more than ever America needs Green Power. Green Power means domestic energy and that means domestic jobs. Green Power means less money going to Iran, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela and more staying right here in America. That means more jobs right in our own communities! Green Power means cleaner air, cleaner water, less carbon emission and a stronger economy. And it is something we ALL can be a part of.

Here's a program to help New Jersey residents make the switch to green energy. The cost is generally less than 3 cents per kilowatt-hour more than you currently pay for energy. By participating you contribute to reducing carbon emissions, cleaning up New Jersey's environment, and stimulating New Jersey's economy. Three important ways of helping your local community, local environment and local economy, all for less than 3 cents per kilowatt-hour of energy you use. When my wife and I made a similar switch in New York, we barely noticed the difference in our energy bill. We also switched to compact fluorescent bulbs at the same time and the energy savings reduced our bill by one-third even with the small increase from buying green energy. Together, we reduced our carbon footprint by about 30% while overall saving money. I highly recommend the switch.

New Jersey has three options for Green Energy for your home, of varying cost and "green" quality all available through your utilities. You can compare them here:

Download the CleanPower application and mail it to the CleanPower Choice Program, C/O Honeywell, 145 US Highway 46, Wayne, NJ 07470. It's a quick and easy way to start improving New Jersey's air quality while also creating local jobs.

VIRIDIAN ENERGY:

New to the game (as of 2009) is

Viridian Energy

.

Viridian Energy provides greener electricity at an affordable price, allowing our customers and independent Associates to make a difference in the environment and their personal lives simply by switching energy providers.

We are proud to stand out among competitors who charge a significant premium for green electricity. We understand that you may not be able to pay more but still want to do your part. We take a lower profit in order to deliver a higher quality product, offering the best of both worlds – greener electricity and affordable prices.

Our Core Values:

Environmental Sustainability. We are dedicated to delivering a greener product and creating a culture for employees, customers and independent Associates that reflects our passion.

Empowerment. We provide an opportunity for our independent Associates to positively impact the environment and improve their own lives.

Reliability. Our energy is as reliable as the local utility and is supported by superior customer service.

Integrity. We are committed to the highest standards of ethics in our business operations and our environmental stewardship.

Customer Focus. We provide helpful, courteous and knowledgeable service tailored to each customer's needs.

To start buying clean, green energy that provides local jobs at a reasonable price: